Reconstruction of Pennsylvania Railroad with Brooks insulators

The Telegraph.

Reconstruction of the Pennsylvania Railroad

Telegraph Line.

UNDER the direction and superintendence of Mr. John Sutor, the able and efficient Superintendent of Telegraphs of the Pittsburg Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the telegraph line on that division is being thoroughly reconstructed from Pittsburg to Altoona. The new poles which are being put in are 30 feet long, seven inches diameter at the top, and are set fully five feet in the ground, the butts well painted with coal tar to two feet above the surface. The distance between the poles is 150 ft. on a straight line and 120 on curves. Lightning conductors are put on every tenth pole and on nil office poles. There are three cross-arms, intended to carry four Brooks insulators on each, bolted on so as to keep the wire separated two feet perpendicularly and 18. inches horizontially [sic] horizontally. The top of each pole is bevelled [sic] beveled to fit a 3-inch iron ring, and a pin and glass set on the top.

When this line of poles is completed it will have a capacity for 13 wires. Nine wires will be strung now, leaving the lower cross-arm to accommodate future wires.

On this division there are 45 offices and 77 operators, and five line repairmen are employed.

Four of the wires are through railroad and three local branch railroad wires.